Jon Stewart Slams Apple Over Its Handling of Gizmodo Case

Tonight on The Daily Show, Jon Stewart gave his take regarding Gizmodo's iPhone exclusive and the subsequent police raid on Jason Chen's home. Speaking directly to Apple and Steve Jobs, Stewart didn't hold back his criticism of them. Video inside.

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Stewart first talked about how "excited" he was to see Gizmodo's report, before mocking the circumstances that led to its acquisition of the device.

Then, Stewart questioned whether it was necessary for Chen's home to be raided, stating, "the Gizmodo reviewer gets the meth lab in the basement treatment after he'd already given the phone back," before talking about how "creepy" Apple—or the "Appholes," as the screen called the company—was for its handling of the case.

Finally, Stewart delivered a direct address to Apple and Jobs in which he criticized the company for its increasing paranoia and obsessive control over the information related to its products, and also took some hilarious shots at AT&T.

Update: Via InOtherNews, here's a partial transcript of Stewart's statement to Apple/Jobs:

"Apple - you guys were the rebels, man, the underdogs. People believed in you. But now, are you becoming the man? Remember back in 1984, you had those awesome ads about overthrowing Big Brother? Look in the mirror, man! …It wasn't supposed to be this way - Microsoft was supposed to be the evil one! But you guys are busting down doors in Palo Alto while Commandant Gates is ridding the world of mosquitoes! What the fuck is going on?!

…I know that it is slightly agitating that a blog dedicated to technology published all that stuff about your new phone. And you didn't order the police to bust down the doors, right? I'd be pissed too, but you didn't have to go all Minority Report on his ass! I mean, if you wanna break down someone's door, why don't you start with AT&T, for God sakes? They make your amazing phone unusable as a phone! I mean, seriously! How do you drop four calls in a one-mile stretch of the West Side Highway! There're no buildings around! What, does the open space confuse AT&T's signal?!

…Come on, Steve. Chill out with the paranoid corporate genius stuff. Don't go all Howard Hughes on us."

[The Daily Show with Jon Stewart]

More: Below is the 1984 Super Bowl commercial of Apple's that Stewart referenced in the above video, claiming that the company has turned into exactly what it criticized more than 25 years ago.

For Further Reading:

• From Wired: Apple May Have Traced iPhone to Finder's Address
• From Gizmodo: Apple Gestapo: How Apple Hunts Down Leaks

Update: And now, your moment of zen (with Shep Smith):